Waist beads also referred to as belly beads or waistline beads are traditional African accessory that consists of beads on a string worn by African women around their waists or hips as a means to gauge and control their weight such that when the waist beads become tight, they easily notice, so they can nip that weight gain in the bud before she is struggling to button her jeans.
The ancestral accessory has a deep cultural significance in Africa, each peculiar to their region.
They come in different colors and shapes and may also include decorative stones, crystals, or charms.
Generally, aside to gauge weight, beads are also worn by women to attracts men as it highlights the movement of their waist while they walk. Men, on the other hand, use the waist beads to determine if a woman is chaste or provocative, by watching the rolling of the beads as she walks.
In the olden days, some traditions in Africa forbid a woman from showing her waist beads to a man who is not her husband as it is believed then that seeing a woman’s waist beads is the same as seeing her naked.
Waist beads are also believed to act as fertility beads for contraceptive purposes.
Today, waist beads can be visible as a symbol of femininity, celebration, or aristocracy and could also be worn under clothing for only the wearer and her chosen partners to see, just like a special set of lingerie.
Some waist beads depict royalty. Kings, queens, prince, and princesses wear it boldly, to differentiate themselves from commoners.
Initially, waist beads were worn for believes and fetishism but today it is more of a piece of decoration like watches, necklaces, and bands.
